Type-writing machine.



B. 0. STIOKNEYK TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19, 1910.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

WWI/6% BURNHAM C. STICKNEY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

Application filed October 19, 1910. Serial No.587,855.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BURNHAM C. STICK- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for releasably connecting the revoluble platen to the line-space wheel of a typewriting machine.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, eflicient and inexpensive device for this purpose.

According to the present invention, one of the platen and line-space wheel elements is provided with a set of friction rings, and the other of said elements has a set of friction fingers to engage said rings, the fingers being fixed to their primary element, but being sufficiently flexible topermitthem to make such slight movement as is necessary in connecting and disconnecting the platen from the line-space wheel. The rings are keyed or connected to the other of said primary elements to rotate therewith, but one or more of said rings are movable to permit locking and releasing the platen. Both the set of fingers and the set of rings are preferably clamped together by means of a toggle, or a pair of toggles, which are manipulated by a fingerpiece adjacent to the usual platen-rotating knob.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a line-space wheel and barrel or drum, and also of one of the friction rings to be fitted in said drum. Fig. 2 a perspective view of the gang of friction fingers to be connected to the platen. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one member of a toggle. another member of said toggle. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the mechanism, showing springs for holding the toggles in efl'ectil e positions, whereby the line-space wheel is connected to the platen. Fig. 6 is a part sectional end elevation of t e platen and line-space wheel. -Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clutching mechanism Fig. 4 is a perspective view of bers in binding positions. Fig. 8 is a part sectional elevation similar to Fig. 7, but showing the platen released from the linespace wheel.- Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional details to show the operation of the toggle. Fig. 11 is a section of a yielding link employed in one form of the toggle.

A revoluble platen 1 is mounted by means of an axle 2 in the ends 3 of a platen frame, and is rotatable by means of a knob 4 having a hub 5 secured by a screw 6 to the end of said axle. Line-spacing of the platen is effected byv aawtched wheel 7 having a hub 8, whereby it is releasably mounted upon the platen axle 2, outside of the platen frame. Connection between the line-space wheel and platen, to cause them to rotate together, is secured by means of a series of preferably three friction rings 9, and a gangof preferably five friction fingers 10 to cooperat with said rings; the rings occupying a drum 11 formed upon one side of the line-space wheel 7, and the fingers being rigidly secured to the platen axle 2; the friction rings alternating with the fingers.

The rings are provided on their outer edges with oppositedre'y's 12 to fit in slots 13 formed on op osite sides of the drum 11, whereby all of the rings are caused to rotate with the drum, and fiertain thereof are permitted to move slightly faoewise when required in connecting and discon;

necting the platen and line-space wheeli',

Preferably the middle ring 9 is fixed rigidly to the drum 11, so as not to be movable relatively to said drum; and for this purpose its keys 12 may be made slightly oversize and drlven into the slot 13, against a shoulder 14 formed therein. The keys 12 of the inmost ring may be made smaller to fit loosely in a reduced end portion 13 of the slot 13. The fit of the keys 12 and also of the keys 1.2 of the outer or left hand ring 9, should be snug, so as not to allow objectionable play between the platen and line-space wheel; but still they should be movable along the slotfor releasing the friction fingers and thereby disconnecting the platen and line-space wheel.

The fingers 10 alternate with the rings 9 as seen at Fig. 7. These fingers are in pairs,

extending oppositely at from hubslti, and having crooks 17, the ends of which constitute the friction members. The crooks 1? preferably curve concentrically with the axle 2, seen at Fig. 6; the aggregate length of each part 15 and its crook 17 being such that the finger is flexible, and thus each is permitted to move slightly in facewise direction while rigidly connected to the axle 2 (and hence to the platen) for rotative movement, so that there is no possible play or shake of the platen relatively to the fingers 10.

The parts 15 may be separated by three washers 18, and may be detachably clamped together by screws l9 passing through cars 20 formed on opposite sides of the hub 21, and also passing through said parts 15 at their bases, and through ears 22 formed on the washers 1S. and threaded into a plate 23 on the opposite side of the gang from the hub 21. This hub 21 may be secured to the platen axle 2 by a screw 24.

For operating the clutch, or clamping the fingers and rings together, two reverse toggles are preferably employed, each comprising a long link 25 and a short link 26, the latter having an operating arm 27 and divided at 28 to receive link 25. Said links may be pivoted together at a. at a point outside oi the gang of friction fingers it). The other end of the long link is pivoted at 30 to a pair of ears 31 provided upon the inner friction finger 10 in each gang; and the other end of the short link 26 is pivoted at 32 ton pair of ears 3?), provided upon the outer finger 10.

The thickness of the rings and friction fingers such, that when the reverse toggle is on the center or just over the center. as at Fig. 9, the outer fingers 10 of the gang clamp together the rings and the midso that. relative movement of ind fii'igers around axle 2 is prevented, whereby the platen is firmly con nected to the line-space wheel. The friction devices occupy positions near the periphery of the linespace Wheel, where they ha e a good purchase, and where they leave an iu eri. sp to be occupied by the togglee, thus condrcing to compactness.

The toggles operated simultaneously 3y a yoke comprising a of rods 34 and coupling plate which. may be secured to the rods by screws Each operating arm 27 a finger portion inserted in an eye 36 formed. in the inner end. of rod 34, so that endvvise no. currents of the rods will vibrate the arms A button 33' may be provided upon the yoke for moving the same inwardly to release the platen, and

for drawing it. outwardly to close the clutch. The rods 34 may he graded their outer serve as a clearancetor the pivot pin 32,

ends in. bearings 38 in the knob a, and at It will be understood from comparison of Figs. 9 and 10, the latter of which shows the clutch as open to an exaggerated extent, that but very slight movement is required of the fingers 10, or of the two outerrings 9; the inner or middle ring being preferably immovable along the drum; The-flexibility of the fingers 15. i7, is such that this slight movement is permitted, particularly since very thin metal may be employed for these parts. Movement of the single yoke 35 moves both toggles t0 the locking position seen at Fig. 7 or Fig. 9, and causes binding between the fingers and rings at twelve different locations, thus securing a very powerful clamping connection of the ring and spacing-wheel to the platen. The movement of the finger piece 37 is easily efiected, notwithstanding the powerful binding action secured, because the toggles will move to or over the dead centers with approximately the same ease when clamp-- ing the entire gang of fingers and rings, as would be the case if only a single finger and. a single ring were employed.

In the construction as so far described, when the toggles are carried over the dead center, as at Fig. 9, the toggle locks itself against releasing;.it being only necessary to pull the button 37 to the left as far as it will go. \Vhen releasing the platen, it is only necessary to push the button 37 to the right; in either case both hands of the operator are free to manipulate the platen and the paper thereon. 11 case the ears 33 should not be sufficiently yielding, a spring loop 43 may be provided in each. of the long links 25, to render said link slightly yielding or elastic in longitudinal direction, to enable it to spring over the dead center to the Fig. 9 position. This loop also permits the length of the link to be changed slightly if required, by separating its sides or by pinching them together.

In the form of the invention seen at Fig. 5, the toggle is kept. closed or nearly closed by means of a pair of compression springs 44. confined between the cap or disk and collars 45 formed on the rods 34. In this form of the invention, the head of the yoke 35 may be pressed to the right to release the toggles, and must be held by the operator in that position while the platen is being rotated independently of the line-space wheel (which is always held stationary by the usual de ent roll 4-6, Fig. 6). It will be understood that the springs do notlneed to carry the toggles from the Fig. 10 position quite so far as shown at Fig. 7, that is, they do not need to close the toggles. The long link 25 may have a perttn'ation 47 to and if desired, this perforation may be utilized to limit the throw of the toggle to the Fig. 10 position.

It will be seen that the parts are of light weight, compactand inexpensive to mane-- facture, and are not liable to get out of' order; the toggles are compactly assembled within the hollow of the gang of rings and fingers, thus economizing space, and a single yoke'is caused to operate both toggles, thus conducing to simplicity of construction.

Other variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others. F

Having thus described my invention, '1 claim:

1.. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen and line-space wheel elements, one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rlngs mounted on one of said elements, a set of flexible friction fingers fixed to the other of said elements, and alternated with said rings,

and means connected with said set of fingers to releasably bind the friction rings and fingers together.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen and line-space Wheel elements, one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rings mounted on one of said elements, certain of said rings being shift-able, a set of flexible fric-- tion fingers fixed to the other of said elements, and alternated with said rings, and means connectedwith said set of fingers to releasably bind the friction rings and fingers together. 4

3. In a typewriting machine, the combine tion with platen and line-space wheel. elements, one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rings inounted on one of said elements, a set of flexible friction fingers fixed to the other of said elements, and alternated with said rings, and a toggle mechanism connected with said set of fingers to bind the friction rings and fingers together.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen and line-space wheel ele ments, one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rings mounted on one of said elements, a'set of flexible friction fingers fixed to the other of said elements, and alternated with said rings, a toggle mechanism, the respective links of which are connected to the respective outer fingers of the set, and a finger piece to control the toggle mechanism.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen and line-space wheel elements, one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rings mounted on one of said elements, a set of flexible elements and curved to register with the rings with which they alternate, a reverse toggle mechanism, contained within the space inclosed by the rings and fingers and connected to the set of fingers, and a finge piece to control said mechanism.

6. Ina typewriting machine, the combinaticn with a line-spacing wheel and a platen rotatable relatively thereto, of a set of friction rings turning with the spacing-wheel, sets of friction fingers fixed to turn with the platen and extending oppositely to each other, their flexible outer ends being curved and alternated with the rings, reverse toggle mechanisms connected to the sets of fingers and nested within the annular space inclosed by the rings, and a finger piece to control the mechanisms.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combina tion with platen and line-space wheel elements, one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rings mounted on one of said elements, a set of flexible friction fingers fi-Xed to the other of elements, and alternated with said rings, a toggle mechanism, the respective links ;.of which are connected to'the respective outer fingers of the set, one of said links being resilient, and a finger piece to control the toggle mechanism.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen and line-space wheel elements, one of which is rotatable relatively.

. intermediate their ends to the other of said elements, and alternated with said rings, a-

toggle mechanism, the respective links of which are connected to the respective outer fingers of the set, said links being reversed to lock the fingers in or outof use, and a finger iece to control the mechanism.

10. n a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and a line-space wheel,

one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of loose shiftablejfriction rings connected to the line-space wheel, a set of flexible friction fingers fixed to the platen, the outer ends of the fingers beinn and fingers together or to release them.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and a line-space wheel,

one of which is rotatable relatively to the other, of a set of friction rings connected to the line-space wheel, a set of flexible friction fingers fast with the platen, the outer ends of the fingers alternated with the rings,' 10

a reversed toggle mechanism to bind the rings and fingers together, means to arrest the throw of the toggle mechanism, and a finger piece to control the toggle mechanism.

BURNHAM C. STICKNEY.

Witnesses: K. FRANKFORT, C. RIPLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Co mmissioner of iateats;

Washington, D. O. 

